Note: the only character that I own is Antonia.
hope you likey... and please keep reviewing.

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' You better have a REALLY good excuse for all of this Antonia!.'

Brain was furious. Toni just stood, staring at him through glazed eyes. She wasn't happy that he had called her by her full name. And to be completely honest, she was slightly scared of his raised voice. It was starting to remind her of her father's voice. But she wasn't going to show to anyone that she was afraid. She never had and she never will.
Once Toni had tackled the asshole at the movies to the ground someone had called the police and they were both restrained, but not before she near enough broke his nose and gave him a head ache to remember. She had come away from the fight with a slightly bloody looking black eye and a graze just above her right eyebrow. Oh and a few bloody knuckles. But no one wanted to press any charges so they were both just police escorted home. She had said her final goodbye to Joey before being guided into the police car.

' I do.' Was all that Toni replied.

'And another thing, I want you to stop with this attitude. I mean what were you thinking!?. You just attacked another kid for no reason!. You must have some serious problems if that's how you get your kicks!.' He hadn't meant to say that last part out loud. Now he was totally regretting it.

Toni looked at him with clear hurt in her eyes. She knew that all of this was too good to be true. Now there was one more person that thought she was crazy, a freak, weird and all of the above. He would surely be handing her over to the state soon she thought.

'Look I didn't mean that. I ..'

'YOU DON'T GET IT!. DO YOU?. YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME... OR MY PROBLEMS. SO JUST BUTT OUT!!!! LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!!!.' Toni had surprised herself and her uncle with her sudden outburst of emotional anger.

'My head is just kinda buzzing just now. I don't know what to do about this.'

Brian sounded completely defeated. He was still standing in front of Toni scratching the back of his head when the bus door opened and the guys walked in. They had left to give Brian and Toni some time to talk when the police showed up with her in cuffs.

'Oh hey. Do you want us to leave again?' Bob questioned the troubled manager.

'No, it's fine I'm going for a walk to clear my head. Toni you stay here and get yourself cleaned up and get to bed... or something.'

Before Toni had any time to respond to her uncle's command, he was already half way out the door and into the cold night air. All of the guys were now in the bus staring at her. She turned with threatening tears in her eyes and headed towards the small bathroom. Once she had locked herself in she ran the water from the tap and looked at her bloodied reflection in the small rectangular mirror above the sink. She didn't know the person staring back at her, she hadn't known who that person was for years.
She splashed her stinging face with the icy cold water. It felt refreshing, but at the same time it was slightly painful. She didn't care all that much though. She watched as the bloody red water rand away down the drain. After she had dried her face she sat down on top of the closed toilet lid. Salty tears began to slide effortlessly and silently down her pale cheeks. She wasn't even very sure why she was crying at all. There was just so much emotion inside of her at that moment. She didn't know whether to laugh, cry or hate herself.

There was a soft knock at the door. She wasn't sure just how long she had been in there, just thinking really. She got up from her seating position on top of the toilet and slowly unlocked the small, fragile plastic door and took her first step forwards to be met with the eyes of Mikey.

'Hey, are you okay?' He asked the teen noticing her teary eyes.

'Erm... not really.' She answered truthfully.

'Why don't you come and talk about it?'

'You guys don't need to listen to me rant...'

' yes we do.' Mikey interrupted her with kindness and good intention in his voice.

'Is Brian back yet?' Toni wasn't so sure what she had wanted the answer to be.

'Nope.'

'Ok then.'

Mikey smiled at her once more and guided her back through to the seating area by her shoulders. They were all sitting as if waiting for her. She sat down, but not next to any of them, she wanted some space, and that was limited as it was on the claustrophobia causing coach.

'So why were you police escorted back here tonight?... but you don't have to talk about that if you don't want to.' Ray said rather fast.

Toni took some time out to have a small chuckle at him before saying.

'No, it's okay, if I'm gonna be living with you guys in here you have a right to know stuff about me.' They all nodded in agreement.

'Well. I was out with my friend as you know, and we were on our way to a diner a few blocks away from the movies, when these assholes that go to our school started shouting insults at us. Nothing we're not used to but they just wouldn't drop it. Then one of the guys shouted something that just... really hit home with me... a...and I totally flipped. I tackled the guy and probably broke his nose. Someone called the cops on us.'

'Wow... go team Toni!.' Frank was rather amused that she had managed to beat the shit out of a guy.

' Well... I totally screwed up with my uncle though.'

'Nah... he'll get over it. He starts fights all the time.' Gerard laughed and the others echoed the same kind of laughter.

'I don't mean the fight with the other guy... I mean the fight with him. He was getting angry and he said some stuff that he didn't mean and I lost my head at him. Now there's no way he will want me to stay around.' There were tears in her bloodshot eyes once again.

'Hey.. He's not like that. And you're a really great kid. Anyone would be completely stupid not to want you around.' Mikey was trying to cheer her up but was surprised when she looked up in disbelief at his comment.

' Really?' Toni had never heard someone talk about her like that before. And she wasn't sure whether or not to believe him.

The silence of the group was broken my the doors opposite the drivers compartment swung open. Brian came in looking a bit more refreshed than he had when he left a few hours ago. The group was still silent.

'Hey kiddo, can we talk?' Brain said to Toni in a softer tone than the one he had used previously that night.

' Y... yeah.' Brian made his way to the back of the bus, passing Toni and the others. She got up and followed her uncle to the bunk area, where Brian sat in her bunk and beckoned her over to sit beside her. She made herself as comfy as she possibly could on the thin mattress next to her uncle.

' Look, I'm sorry for some of the things I said earlier. I didn't mean them. I'm sure you had your reasons for what happened. And I am in no position to tell you tell you what to do... well, not yet anyway.' He said the last part with a grin playing across his lips.
She caved and let a small smile fill her face.

'I'm sorry for what I said to you, I didn't really mean it.... Do you still want me around... after everything that I've done?.'

Brian's eyebrows raised in utter shock.

'What..... of course I still want you around, what would make you think I wouldn't?.'

'Well it's just that...'

'Look, I might not know you that well. But I want to get to know you. And if that means we go through ups and downs like this then.... That's just what we'll have to do. Isn't it?'

Toni smiled with watery eyes. Brian enveloped his niece in a loving embrace and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

She drifted off into a peaceful sleep knowing that she was with people who accepted her and actually wanted her there.

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WARNING... this is most definitely not the end of this story!!!!
Check for updates very soon!! And thank you so much to everyone who has been reviewing.
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